Little Bucklin: Cutting Ties
by MissDoctorDonna
Summary: This is a sequel to Little Bucklin and tells of Vin and Ezra getting ready to leave town with their new charge. I haven't indulged in Vin's scene with the pervert as such things make my skin crawl, so I've only alluded to it.


**I don't own any of the Magnificent Seven characters; I just like to take them out of their boxes and play with them. All towns, institutions and characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This is a continuation of my previous story, Little Bucklin.**

Vin chuckled as he watched Buck hum with delight over the mouthful of eggs and bacon he'd just taken. The tracker and his young charge were back in the restaurant, after a full night's sleep in the hayloft, enjoying a large hot breakfast. Vin had woken with the sun as he usually did and crawled from his warm, comfortable nest. Stretching and scratching, he viewed the various bodies strewn on the straw about him with some distaste. Vultures drawn by the excitement of watching a man hang. As he was strapping his weapons back on, he heard the owner of the livery calling for Buck and a feral light lit up his eyes. Looking down, he noted that Ezra's eyes were open and reflecting his own fury.

Seeing the light of vengeance in Vin's eyes, Ezra gathered Buck's warm little body into a firmer hold and gave a tiny nod of agreement, whispering, "Take care, my friend. Do not give the Sheriff reason to arrest you too."

A half smile graced Vin's face as he touched his fingers to the brim of his hat. Then all humour fled his face as Vin gave in to his need to hunt.

Utilising his natural stealth, Vin crept up on the owner of the livery and made his opinion of grown men who preyed on innocent children known to the odious man. The young tracker was a mild-mannered man for the most part, but when his temper was aroused he was a force of menace and danger that rivalled Chris Larabee himself. There was nothing that would raise that temper faster than hurting someone vulnerable, like a woman, child or animal. Cornering Pete, he used fists and knife as a way to both repay some of the terror the snivelling pervert had visited on Buck and other, as well as making the foul man believe he should confess his sins and take the due punishment. After leaving a rather bloody and broken Pete, gibbering to the Sheriff about the children he'd abused as well as the fate of poor Rafe, Vin returned to the hayloft. The Sheriff had seemed a decent sort, but Vin made sure to warn the lawman that the child's murder would be reported to the circuit judge.

By this time, Ezra had risen and roused Buck, packing up their belongings and attending to morning ablutions. When Vin returned, grinning like the cat who'd gotten both the canary and the cream, Ezra merely shook his head fondly and instructed the younger man to get some breakfast for himself and Buck, as he had to run some errands before they left. The squirrelly southerner wouldn't reveal the nature of the errands, merely smiling and assuring Vin and Buck that he would find his breakfast on his travels. Curious, but used to his brother's secretive ways, Vin had just nodded and resigned himself to waiting on the outcome of Ezra's 'errands'. Hopefully they didn't culminate in them being chased out of town by a hail of bullets.

Meanwhile, Ezra had hurried to the telegraph office and collected their replies to yesterday's telegrams. Chris had sent a terse response:

Get home now stop Bring boy stop Watch your backs stop CL full stop

Nettie's had been even more succinct:

Bring that boy home stop N Wells full stop

Grinning wide enough to show his gold tooth to the yawning telegraph operator, Ezra sent responses to both as well as a longer message to Judge Travis. Vin had given him a whispered rundown of his confrontation with Pete, along with his warning to the Sheriff. The Judge was in Four Corners on a brief stopover before heading here the next day. Ezra planned on travelling back with Travis to act as a witness in the trial of Pete. He knew that the Judge was no more tolerant of men like Pete than any of the seven, so thought it likely that the sturdy gallows currently awaiting the smelly miscreant they'd delivered yesterday would see extra use. He nodded to the operator, who had turned to begin tapping at his machine, and took his leave after placing payment on the counter.

Ezra then made his determined way to the cathouse. Ms Hazel had welcomed the gambler in, thinking him to be a particularly early customer. Hallie and Franny were quite excited to see the handsome, well-dressed man and set about draping themselves alluringly over the drawing room furniture. Unfortunately, all of them were to be bitterly disappointed when Ezra made his real reason for the visit clear.

"I have made the acquaintance of a young man by the name of Buck Wilmington," started Ezra, only to be cut off by the Madam.

"That boy ain't nothin' to do with us here and if he's stolen something from you then you're just gonna have to see the Sheriff," snapped Hazel, standing to indicate that the gambler was to leave.

Unruffled by the woman's actions, Ezra remained in his seat, politely holding his hat and drawled, "Oh, I'm quite aware that all y'all have abandoned the boy to his fate. I'm here to get the full story of his mother and her passing. I believe it would be helpful for an adult account to be had, rather than relying on the views of a child."

Assessing the man in front of her with fresh eyes, Hazel nodded and then told Ezra how Katie Wilmington had arrived on her doorstep, clutching a carpetbag in one hand and a toddler with the other. She'd been looking for work and had proved to be popular with Ms Hazel's customers, being a vivacious and beautiful young woman, so the madam had been willing to overlook the child's presence. But when Katie had succumbed to a sudden illness, there'd been no place for the child. Seeing something in the gambler that led her to believe he'd understand, Hazel told him in oblique terms of the unhealthy interest some of her customers had started showing in the child.

Nodding knowingly, Ezra grimly encouraged her to continue, asking, "What of Ms Wilmington's personal effects?"

Defensively, Hazel informed him that it was a custom in cathouses for the clothing and other belongings of deceased girls to be distributed amongst the survivors. Seeing the way Ezra raised his eyebrow, she told him that any truly personal effects such as photographs and the bible had been given to Buck. Pointing out that she'd had to pay for the funeral and Buck's upkeep for the last week or so, she drew herself up and refused to look guilty.

Honestly, Ezra wasn't all that surprised by the actions of the whores in the house. He was aware of the ways of cathouses, having stayed in one as a child when Maude had dumped him on a distant cousin, who had promptly disappeared after dumping Ezra at the cathouse to work off his debt. Being a child with angelic looks, Ezra had been fortunate that the Madam was a good hearted woman who had kept him out of sight of her customers. When Maude had finally returned to retrieve him, she'd been utterly horrified to find Ezra happily washing frilled unmentionables with the house slave, both of them singing their hearts out. With a slight curl to his lips at the memory, Ezra asked, "Where is Ms Wilmington buried?"

Hazel sighed and told Ezra about the pauper's funeral and how the good Reverend hadn't seen fit to bury Katie Wilmington amongst the righteous. Coming to the end of the woeful story, Hazel sighed again, knowing the same fate was waiting for her.

Silence reigned for a moment before Ezra stood and offered his hand to the Madam, thanking her for her time. Fixing his hat to his head, he strode from the cathouse without a backwards glance.

Next stop was the graveyard. Unlike many, Ezra wasn't afflicted by blind faith and did not view men of the cloth as perfect, knowing many religious leaders who were heavily afflicted by the frailties of man. The sanctimonious hypocrisy of many of the so-called instruments of the Lord he'd met left him with a jaded eye that saw the truth behind the mummery. Oh, he believed in God, but he'd been condemned by so many preachers and priests for his lifestyle that he had ceased to believe in the church, although Josiah was slowly bringing him into the Four Corners' congregation. Josiah was willing to look beyond his appearance and vices to see that the core of his being was just as decent as anyone else, which made Ezra willing to sit through the older man's sermons. Provided the sermon didn't start too early in the morning, of course.

Gazing down at the new grave with its forlorn marker, Ezra ground his teeth with rage at how this poor woman and her son had been treated. Many a gambler before him had ended up the same way, considered too tainted to be buried with any sort of decency or regard. Turning on his heel, he strode towards the church.

Reverend Adam McGarrett looked up as the doors of his church opened suddenly and a gaudily dressed man strode in. Immediately determining that the man was a gambler and therefore a sinner, he sneered and called, "I'm sorry, but you've mistaken a house of God for a den of iniquity."

"And I'm afraid you, sir, have mistaken me for someone who believes in your false piety," replied Ezra, his voice smooth and his accent thick. He'd seen the look of disgust on the other man's face and recognised it for what is was; having seen it on many a face in his life. "I am here in regard to the burial place of Ms Katie Wilmington."

Eyebrows rising in surprise, McGarrett reassessed the gambler, seeing the weapon on his hip and the dangerous light in the jade green eyes staring into his very soul. Swallowing nervously, he asked, "The whore from the cathouse who died a week or so back?"

Clenching his fists, Ezra growled, "I refer to the lady who was unjustly buried amongst the criminals outside the sanctified graveyard, without so much as a Christian verse read over her."

"We do not bury unrepentant sinners amongst the righteous in Stevensville," huffed McGarrett, smoothing his hand over the cover of the expensive bible he held.

"'And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins'," intoned Ezra, glaring at the man in front of him.

Surprised that the gambler would know anything of the bible, McGarrett gaped at him.

"Mark 11:25. Or if you prefer, 'For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15," continued Ezra, "I think you'll find the principal tenet of Christianity is forgiveness and love of your fellow man and woman, Mr McGarrett, not condemnation. It is up to the Lord himself to decide if we are worthy on our judgment day, not you."

Striding down the aisle to stand in front of McGarrett, who now clutched his bible nervously, Ezra accused, "You will not allow the sinners of this world into your church; how then are they to seek redemption or forgiveness? You do not walk amongst the sinners, so they cannot seek the word of your Father in heaven in order to ask forgiveness. No, I believe if anyone will be found wanting on their Judgement Day, it is more likely to be the supposedly holy man who denied the willing a path to righteousness. A desperate young woman, uneducated and unsupported, with a child to provide for has no choice but to take up a life of what you call sin. Katie Wilmington had no other path offered to her by those in happier circumstances. You freely condemn her, but where were you when she was alive. Did you offer to help her find a way out of prostitution? Did you condemn the town folk who castigated her innocent son and made his life a living hell? No, sir. I say it is YOU who have sinned and YOU who will be lucky to escape the fiery pits of HELL!"

Ezra's voice rang out around the church, echoing and pounding into the Reverend's ears and hard heart like the voice of Gabriel. When the sound died away, the silence weighed heavily on the man.

Turning from McGarrett, Ezra said over his shoulder, "I will be arranging for the disinterment of Ms Wilmington and will be taking her to be buried on sanctified land, by a man more familiar with the true spirit of Christianity. I'd suggest you spend more time reflecting on your own sins and less condemning others, Mr McGarrett."

Standing on the steps of the church, Ezra settled his hat firmly on his head and heaved in a huge lungful of air to calm himself. Chuckling wryly, he shook his head and made his way over to the two men leaning on shovels and smoking near a half finished grave. Having played a con once as a preacher, he'd fallen back into that persona with surprising ease. It was a good thing that Josiah hadn't been there to witness his confrontation with the Reverend, as the ex-preacher would most likely have taken offense. Or possibly starting campaigning for Ezra to take on a more active role within his new flock; one never knew which way that man would jump. Mind you, had Josiah been here, Ezra was certain that the big man would have gone Old Testament on the Reverend himself.

Vin looked up as Ezra entered the livery, with an unusual look of preoccupation on his face. Pushing Peso away from him as the horse took advantage of his man's distraction to try and bite him – lovingly, of course – Vin asked, "What's up, Ez?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing. Just … well, I'll just be happy to get back home. This loathsome little town and its feculent inhabitants have given me a new appreciation of Four Corners," replied the gambler, looking up at Vin and smiling. "Where's Buck?"

"Out back with an old nag he's befriended," answered Vin, grinning knowingly at Ezra.

Sighing gustily, Ezra walked out to the back of the livery to find his young charge draped over the back of a large grey mare, talking to her softly and patting her gently. The mare nickered occasionally and turned her head around to lip at the boy.

Coming up behind his brother, Vin leaned in and whispered mischievously, "Seems awful fond of that there horse, don't he?"

Grimacing at the truth of Vin's statement and elbowing the younger man lightly, Ezra studied the horse. It wasn't a young horse, it's true, but there was still a lot of life in her and she was sturdily built and obviously had a sweet temperament. Sighing again, Ezra knew that they'd be taking the damn horse with them when they left. Still, they'd need a horse to draw the wagon needed for Ms Wilmington's coffin. Lord knows that neither Peso nor Chaucer were suited to drawing a wagon.

"What ya been up ta, Ez? Thought yer was at the General Store but when me and Bucklin swung there after breakfast, ya weren't there."

Patting Vin on the shoulder, Ezra sent him an evil grin, replying, "As you'd already had a word or two with the pernicious pervert who previously ran this establishment, resulting in said cretin becoming fully cognizant of the error of his ways and showing his remorse by confessing his crimes to the Sherriff; I took it upon myself to speak to the cathouse madam to get the full story of Buck's life to date. This led me to the local god botherer, who needed me to point out his failings to his flock. I've also arranged to have young Bucklin's mother disinterred so that we may find her a more suitable resting place in Four Corners."

"Shoulda known ya'd have seen to things, ya big softie," teased Vin, glad that he didn't have the task. He hadn't minded bracing the liveryman, but preachers tended to baffle him with their long winded ways and women were a mystery to him. Better for his equally long winded friend to take the reverend to task, although he was still tempted to visit the jail and convince the Sheriff to leave him alone with Pete for a few more minutes. He'd really like to show him just how easy it was to skin a man when sufficiently motivated, but supposed it was better this way. He was still a wanted man after all, so no need to draw any attention to himself.

Sending Vin to the General Store for provisions, after sternly warning the younger man not to return with just pie and candy, Ezra sat Buck down and explained about how they would be taking his Ma's body with them to bury her in a nice churchyard.

"We're bringing Ma with us? Sh.. she won't be in the ground with the b-bad men no more?"

Lifting the small boy onto his lap and putting his arms around him, Ezra told him, "She was never in the ground with the bad men. Her body was, but we're bringing your Ma's body with us now. But her spirit is in Heaven, free and happy, and has been since she died. Whenever you look up at a night sky, find the brightest star you can see and know that it's your Ma looking down on you. Her love for you and yours for her will always be held right here and will never leave you."

Putting his small hand over the larger one laying over his heart, Buck smiled through his tears and nodded. "Ma loved me something awful. She always said I was the best thing that ever happened in her life and that she'd love me forever."

Cuddling the boy close, Ezra whispered, "I'm sure you were and she will."

Twenty minutes later, Buck twisted around in the saddle and peered around Vin to look back as the town of Stevensville grew smaller. Behind them, sitting in the seat of a plain but sturdy wagon was Ezra driving Lady. Katie Wilmington's remains had been security wrapped in a large tarpaulin to try and keep the flies out and the smell in, and Vin hadn't needed to be told to keep Buck up wind. There was no need for the poor lad to be any more traumatised than he already had been.

Chaucer was left free to follow as he wanted, since the gambler knew that his loyal horse wouldn't stray far from him and hated to be tied behind a wagon. Given the horse's ability with ropes, it was no use trying to tie him to the wagon anyway, as he'd free himself in minutes. So Chaucer split his time pacing beside the wagon on the side that Ezra sat and cantering forward to lip at Peso's flanks to annoy the big blazed gelding. The astonished look on the big chestnut's face when Peso snorted and kicked back at him always made Buck giggle.

"Ez, ya horse is a menace," growled Vin, adjusting to his horse's attempts at defence with a fluidity that spoke of many hours in the saddle.

"Chaucer, mon ami, come," called Ezra, grinning and winking at Buck, who was peering at him from under Vin's elbow. "Time to go home."

Fini


End file.
